Turner County herald. (Hurley, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1887-05-26
WASHINGTON LETTER.

WASHINGTON. MAY, IL. 1887.
The past week was full Of interest to
the people of Washington as well as to
the hundreds of strangers who came
hither through interests scientific, busi-
ness and social. 1 may say there were
four national conventions. First came
the hotel proprietors, representing all
the leading cities and all the leading
hotels OF the United States, who talked
over the matter of mutual interest, ex-
changed ideas and experiences and had
a good time generally. Then there was
the American Surgical Association,
which was in session here, and the
Society of the Army of the Cumber-
land, which held its annual reunion
and unveiled the statute it had erected
to Garfield with much impressive
pomp and ceremony. And Saturday
morning saw an assemblage of gentle
men such as the world has rarely wit
messed. This was the ':forty -niners"-
the men who crossed mountain and
pltill, u1afCtt IIlC lSO VI UllC IAllU-
arctic seas, or the feryid suns and
fevers of the torrid zone, and founded
a new empire on the shores of the
Pacific. A number of these California
pioneers, probably q hundred or more,
met here and spent the day together
They boarded a Potomac steamer and
had a sail down the river, during
which they organized California
Pioneers Association. A plank shad
dinner followed, and then recitals of
incidents, adventures, and reminiscent
ces of their earlier days, which showed
that these "Jasons OF the new world
are still young enough to enjoy them
selves.
On last Friday, President Cleveland,
for the first time i'll his life, made a
pilgrimage to the tomb OF George
Washington. 1t was at the invitation
of the widow of Gen. Logan, who is
now regent Of the Mount Vernon Asso-
citation. The president, Mrs. Cleveland
and about a dozen other invited guests
embarked on the steamer Corcoran late
in the afternoon. Arriving there they
spent an hour or so rambling about the
historic spot and returned to the city
after night.
Two days hence soldier boys from all
over the United States will be pouring
into Washington for the National
Drill. The first company to arrive mill
be the Vicksburg Southrons, then the
Indianapolis Light Infantry, the Louis
ana Rifles, and the Muscatine Rifles.
Sunday will be the busiest day Tor ar
rivals, however. and before midnight
it is expected that every company will
be quartered on the camp ground.
Miss Clara Barton, president OF the
Red Cross Society, will have charge of
the hospital of the encampment, and a
dozen local physicians and surgeons
will be on her staff, as also veteran
army nurses and number Of yolun-
teers from the training school for
nurses. Temporary hospital barracks
are being erected, and the soldiers will
be well cared for when they get sick.
10 the majority of people of this city
the necessity of a hospital department
to the National Drill seemed to be a
surprise. Preparations by the Red
Cross society seemed to be the first sug-
gestion to them that the coming week
OF military display was likely to place
among us sick and suffering men.
strangers and soldiers who would need
treatment and care. Until then proba-
bly, not one person in a hundred had
realized that there could be serious
feature connected with the great holi.
day week, or that SO much display
could develop as a part of itself, an
actual necessity, demanding the same
means of relief, the same watchful
care, tender sympathy, wise provision
and firm control that an equal number
OF soldiers might require in veritable
camp or actual campaign.
a moments reflection, however, max
es it apparent that 1t woul be impossi-
bic to bring thousands of men here un
der any form of enlistment, from their
wide spread homes, subject to change
of all habits of life, food, water, eli
mate, occupation, and rest, and place
them in competitive action. every man
at his most and best, for the space of
nine days, without any of them. falling
i'll or needing care or treatment. 1t
will bewonderfui. indeed. if there be
not some. who will never return to
their homes